This document proposes piloting water-related projects under Global Brigades Panama's existing Public Health program to test student interest and project effectiveness. It recommends installing either a rainwater catchment filtration system or biosand water filter in individual homes. If successful, a full Water Brigades program could be introduced. The proposal also suggests collaborating with the Water Brigades chapter at Yale University to strengthen the pilot program and recruit more volunteers.

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Public Health Internship Panama –
July 2014
A Streamline Approach to Holistic Water
Sustainable Program Development from Public Health Pilots
to Water Brigades Panama
By Sarah Sutphin

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Table of Contents:
I. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………. 3
II. Water-Related Challenges in the Darién: Emberá Puru………………………………. 5
III. Characteristics of the Panamanian System…………………………………………... 7
IV. Water Brigades Panama…………………………………………………………..….. 8
V. Projects…………………………..……………………………………………….…… 9
VI. Model Itinerary…………………………………………………………..…………. 11
VII. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………….… 12

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I. Introduction
For an appreciable number of residents in the Darién province, Panama, lack of
access to clean water is the main problem that affects daily life. Although the
Panamanian government’s Ministry of Health is responsible for water distribution by
means of aqueduct systems that connect individual communities to a water source,
complications such as project incompletion, water shortages, pipeline damages, and
contamination from pesticides/animals inhibit the realization of this goal. The Water
Brigades program – established in Honduras and Ghana – undertakes student-led projects
to implement sustainable solutions as a means of water-related illness prevention in
communities with limited access. One benefit to these programs is their ability to flourish
through operational autonomy: neither the Honduran nor Ghanaian governments exercise
control over national water systems. This arrangement differs from the current
bureaucratic realities in Panama, where Ministry of Health (MINSA) regulations create
additional challenges for development NGOs like GB. However, actions that both
circumvent government-posed roadblocks and empower communities to do the same are
pivotal at a time when natural sources are being contaminated, and manufactured sources
are insufficient. The need for clean water cannot be overstated, which is why GB partner
communities’ repeated requests for increased access opportunities should be met.
Given this necessity for water-filtering methods in the neglected Darién region,
Global Brigades Panama should initiate an internal development process that begins with
implementation of a water-related project under the Public Health program structure. A
water-specific project may act as both a bolster for this program, and a test ground for the
prospective Water Brigades addition. Use or variation of the model itinerary provided
below would allow staff members to monitor the new project’s effectiveness and

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popularity among students. If interest in water-related issues increases at a steady rate,
administrators should consider introduction of a new, independent program (Water
Brigades) in order to advance the organization’s holistic development model while
refining the educational resources for community members in the form of water-focused
charlas and discussions with families.
This proposal will first analyze the water survey, recorded observations, and
informal interviews that took place during a visit to Emberá Puru. The information is then
used as a case study to illuminate larger regional issues. Next it will advocate for a long-
term vision of a Water Brigades program that not only caters to Panama’s cultural and
bureaucratic distinctions, but also takes care to avoid interference with the current
progress in Honduras and Ghana. It provides a model itinerary that includes two project
possibilities: a Biosand water filter, and a rainwater catchment-filtration system. While
this proposal embraces these options for their ability to advance clean water solutions on
an individual family level, projects like the ones described in Connie Lin and David
Segoviano’s research could be incorporated on a communal level. Since an organization’s
internal growth process is incremental, the following itinerary may be piloted under the
Public Health program to gage its success and feasibility. Finally, this proposal will
suggest that the Water Brigades chapter at Yale University and Global Brigades Panama
collaborate to achieve the mutual goal of increased clean-water access opportunities for
communities in the Darién region and beyond. Research conducted during the Global
Brigades Panama three-week internship provides the foundation for this proposal and
commitment to project development. Partnership with a chapter whose president has
completed the internship is practical, as the student plus board members could act as
mutual stakeholders in the process.

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II. Water-Related Challenges in the Darién: Emberá Puru
Through an analysis of recorded observations, the community development team-
administered water survey, and interviews with local residents conducted during a visit to
Emberá Puru, this proposal describes the current water deficiencies for communities in
the Darién province. According to residents who participated in the water survey on July
9th, 2014, Emberá Puru has complex and inconsistent methods for receiving water.
During the winter months, its primary source is a dysfunctional, government-constructed,
gravity-based aqueduct system that shares its distributional burden with five other
communities. Although Emberá Puru has devoted eight months to the creation of a solar
panel – an initiative that community members indicated would promote a reduction in
water shortage frequency – it has not guaranteed reliable access to all community
members. In the past, residents have gone over two months without water when the pipe
connecting the community to the source was broken due to excessive pressure from
rainfall. Even when water arrives to the tank, it will sometimes appear dirty after its
journey from the source (an uphill stream 3 km away), which then moves across cattle
farms and fields before reaching Emberá Puru. All but eight houses are connected to this
system, which comes with a tax of $0.25 per meter-cubed to MINSA (office in Santa Fé).
Yet even when community members pay, the water pressure is poor, it’s unclear whether
it’s been chlorinated, and consistent access is never guaranteed.
During the summer months, the community has two means of water access –
neither of which can be deemed satisfactory. One method is the aqueduct that offers
varied yet limited quantities of water (characteristic of the dry season). The second
method requires the Water Committee Treasurer to contact Padre Pablo, a local priest
who provides water to multiple communities via bi-monthly visits to refill the main tank.

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Padre Pablo is responsible for chlorinating the water before it’s distributed to the
community, which is useful because the overwhelming majority of residents do not take
any measures to purify the water once its domestically available.
Informal interviews with residents were a useful tool to gage local perceptions of
the current water situation. One man estimated that during the winter season (June-
November), the water would stop functioning about once every two weeks. Yet during
the summer season (December-May), “there is no water coming from the pipes at all.”
When the pipes break, the water comes out dirty, and it takes about four to five days for
the leak to be located and fixed. Since the system’s pipelines travel across agricultural
areas, it is not uncommon for an accident such as a cow stepping on a pipe to occur. In
addition to interviews, interns gained insight into water purification systems that they
observed near a few houses. The most basic was a 55 gallon drum left open to collect the
water, while a more sophisticated method involved a v-shaped tin roof about eight feet
off the ground that fed into a 55 gallon drum; the drum was covered with a cloth to filter
out large debris. Another nearby water source is the spring, which is located about five
minutes walking from the east side of the village. It comes up from the ground and feeds
a stream that is heavily contaminated further from the source. Trash was piled along the
path to the spring and water appeared brown/murky; an older community member
explained that most residents use the spring for both bathing and drinking purposes. A
community member named Ernesto informed the interns that many people are aware of
the chemical contamination in the spring from trash and agricultural operations; in his
perspective, “anyone who bathes in the dirty part of the stream will get skin lesions.”
While the information provided above offers a synthesis of the complicated realities that
surround clean-water access for individuals in Emberá Puru, many aspects are

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representative of the water-related struggles that plague the majority of GB partner
communities in the Darién.
Considering the overwhelming need for this essential resource – water – the
introduction of development projects that commit to the improvement of clean-water
access opportunities is a logical next step toward holistic growth for Global Brigades
Panama. Installation of the Water Brigades program is an ideal long-term goal, but first it
is necessary to address social and bureaucratic challenges that must be overcome before
large-scale change can occur.
III. Characteristics of the Panamanian System
Despite the fact that Global Brigades has an existing structural solution in the
form of Water Brigades in Honduras and Ghana, bureaucratic and social realities that are
unique to Panama require creative modifications. In terms of bureaucracy, the
government-controlled Ministry of Health is responsible for the building and
maintenance of aqueduct systems for every community in the country. The Darién
province is often neglected, which is why it’s no surprise that the rate of improvement to
current systems, as well as production of long-awaited but nonexistent systems, has been
stagnant. Yet according to the MINSA representative in charge of water chlorination and
distribution for over 34 communities (whose office is located at the health center in Santa
Fé), the government is responsible for bringing water from distant sources to a
centralized tank in each community. Global Brigades can avoid time-consuming
negotiations with MINSA, however, if water-related projects are implemented at the
individual home level like the current latrine installation project under the Public Health
program.

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Other challenges include the cost of materials and the requirement for projects
that are scalable to meet the needs of all GB communities. To combat rising costs in
materials, two options seem feasible: volunteers can take on cost-efficient (but perhaps
less labor-intensive) projects, or Global Brigades Panama can charge slightly more for
water projects in order to create useful, sustainable systems that benefit families in need.
The second possibility is particularly salient under the assumption that Water Brigades be
introduced to the country, as heightened (but still manageable) cost would ensure that the
Honduras branch will continue its developmental path uninterrupted.
IV. Water Brigades Panama
One tenet of many international development NGOs like Global Brigades is
sustainable (and often gradual) development as the catalyst for long-term growth. With
this in mind, an ideal method for establishing the Water Brigades program is rooted in
Public Health Brigades’ present framework. This proposal advocates for the use (or
variation) of its model itinerary as a pilot program under the Public Health structure. As
of now, Public Health only offers its volunteers the opportunity to install a compostable
latrine, which has yielded great success, but still provides room for growth. Through the
pilot program, students can prove their interest in the creation of sustainable solutions
that mediate water access disparities, as well as their enthusiasm for community
education about the resource. As the student side of the balance shows its commitment,
staff can also make note of the projects’ success in terms of efficiency and community
reception. Once this criterion is met, Global Brigades Panama should consider
introducing a Water Brigades program tailored to address the social and political
differences of the country.

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V. The Projects
The model itinerary provided below offers two possible projects that focus on
development at the domestic level. The first option is installment of a natural resource-
fueled rainwater catchment and filtration system that can function as an attachment to
existing latrines. While an in-depth explanation of this project and its functionality is the
basis of interns Courtney Parks and Maggie Daniel’s research project, the following
image offers a rendering of the filtration mechanism. The system can collect rainwater
through a gutter system that brigaders install onto the edge of any latrine roof, while the
barrels sit atop wooden platforms to the side of the latrine.
Courtney and Maggie advertise the project as a hand-washing system, which is
viable; however, this proposal asserts that the water could be used for any purpose that
the household desires. According to their cost-analysis, one system may cost anywhere
from $100 to $400 to construct, which is economically feasible to implement. If the price
per unit is closer to the $400 estimate, brigaders can either raise the money as a group
through donations on Empowered.org, or raise an extra $30-$35 per volunteer. If this
project were someday to evolve into Water Brigades Panama, the slight increase in price
could act as a bulwark against unwanted competition between it and the program in
Honduras. Since the project is designed as an “attachment” to previously constructed
latrines, one can predict that communities would be receptive to this addition. Two
individuals interviewed during latrine surveys in Platanilla expressed interest and
enthusiasm for the project. Environmental conditions in the Darién region are also ideal
for rainwater collection systems, as the six-month rainy season provides ample
precipitation.

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Rainwater Filtration System with Attached Water Storage Unit
If any aspects of this project prove incompatible with Global Brigades Panama
(i.e. resources, costs, scalability, level of engagement), an alternative project that Public
Health Interns proposed in 2013 should be reevaluated. These interns proposed
installation of a Biosand Water Filter project that (based upon their research) is cost-
efficient with estimates comparable to Maggie and Courtney’s project. Their proposal
goes into detail about the project specificities, but the following image provides a basic
explanation of its components.
Biosand Water Filter

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VI. Model Itinerary: Explanation Follows
This itinerary can be used for a pilot program to test the feasibility of water-
related projects, as well as discern student-interest in extension of Water Brigades to
Panama. A distinguishing feature of this example is that not only will volunteers prepare
and present a charla for local students, but also hold an open forum/discussion with
community leaders, and families of past, current, and prospective water project
recipients. While the educational charlas held at local schools are useful, it is the adult
members of each community who should be responsible for water purification
knowledge, practices, and water-related illness prevention tactics. For example, an adult
is more likely to carry out the water boiling method than a child. Topics for the charlas

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could include a reminder to stay hydrated, a lesson about the significance of where water
comes from before ingestion, the correlation between dirty water and intestinal parasites
or GI problems, and the correlation between pesticide use, soil erosion, trash disposal,
and water contamination/skin irritation. This itinerary can be applied to the Public Health
Brigades program, and then adjusted to incorporate defining characteristics of Water
Brigades.
VII. Conclusion
In order to maintain a sense of student commitment to the suggestions above, this
proposal extends an offer for the Water Brigades chapter at Yale University to
collaborate with Global Brigades Panama. One prominent feature of this alliance would
be the organizations’ mutual aspiration to improve the conditions for individuals in
under-resourced communities through provisions that include accessibility to clean water
systems. This collaboration has the potential to strengthen the Public Health program
through dedicated efforts on the student side to recruit more volunteers while spreading
awareness for the organization. Though other chapters may have interest in water issues
and project development, representatives from the Yale chapter are prepared to act as
mutual stakeholders who will maintain dialogue with program associates throughout the
revision process. Completion of the three-week public health internship in Panama not
only provided the platform to create this research proposal, but also allowed the
opportunity for on-the-ground experiences that led to greater understanding of the Global
Brigades organization.
One foreseeable impediment to a Water Brigades program extension to Panama is
the danger of taking trips away from Honduras, which utilizes Water Brigades in its

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sustainable transition strategy. This concern is valid; however, a manageable increase in
price per student (as mentioned above) may result in a balanced distribution of brigade
trips, or a smaller Water program in Panama that would not interfere with the
development process of its counterpart in Honduras. Another reality is that some
universities do not currently allow students to participate in brigades to Honduras in light
of the government coup. Moreover, Water Brigades in Panama could provide the
organization a means to maintain networks with these university chapters that may not
have the resources to go to Ghana.
This proposal has analyzed the water survey, general observations, and informal
interviews conducted in Emberá Puru as a lens onto the realities that surround clean water
access limitations for majority of the Global Brigades partner community residents in the
Darién region and beyond. Given this information, it recommended two water-related
projects that can take shape under the Public Health program. Once off the ground, the
pilot can be evaluated to gage the feasibility/interest in expansion of the Global Brigades
Panama organization to offer its own version of Water Brigades. This long-term goal
aligns with the NGO’s mission to promote holistic development through sustainable
methods, and can be achieved with student commitment to improve equality of life for
all. Although GB Panama must operate at a steady growth rate in order to balance
community needs with student interests, it is crucial that administrative action be taken to
advance this process. As the largest student-led social responsibility movement on the
planet, Global Brigades has an obligation to its partner communities to engage in
dialogue about improvements to clean water accessibility.